Myanmar junta leader says Australian adviser's detention revealed financial secrets

[YANGON] Myanmar junta leader Min Aung Hlaing said on Monday that the detention of an Australian financial adviser to Myanmar's deposed leader Aung San Suu Kyi had led to the discovery of secret financial information, according to state-run MRTV television.

Australia has called for the release of Sean Turnell, who was detained on Feb 6, five days after the coup that led to the arrest of Ms Suu Kyi herself.

"An attempt to flee the country by the former government's foreign economic adviser, Sean Turnell, was stopped in time and secret state financial information was found through him.

Union-level ministers are taking legal actions in relation to that issue," state television MRTV quoted the junta leader as saying.

Five media companies in Myanmar have been stripped of their licences, MRTV announced on Monday. The five independent companies were named as Mizzima, Myanmar Now, 7-Day, DVB and Khit Thit Media. All have been active in covering protests against last month's military coup.

REUTERS